Christmas Surrealism: a selection of festive surrealist art

What better way to celebrate Christmas than with a cocktail of festive surrealist art?Surprisingly (or not so) there are few works which fall into this category, but I’ve managed to track down some particularly interesting examples. I’ve included a mix of new and old works in line with that old Christmas trope of temporal negation. Have a Merry Christmas and enjoy! (NB: the artist and title if known is beneath the image)

Why not begin with the master himself?…

Salvador Dali, Noel, 1948.Dali, Felicitacion de Navidad, 1958Dali, Felicitacion de Navidad, 1960Dali, Felicitacion de Navidad, 1962Dali, Felicitacion de Navidad, 1968Dali, Felicitacion de Navidad, 1968Dali, Felicitacion de Navidad, 1971Dali, Felicitacion de Navidad, 1974This is my favourite. Dali’s santa clause (left) opposite Norman Rockwell’s santa clause, both designed for Hallmark in the 50s. Look closely at Dali’s image and you’ll even see his signature melting clock oozing from the chest of drawers which opens from santa’s torso!Dali, ‘New York central park winter’ (1971)Dorothea Tanning, The Truth about Comets (1945)Max Ernst, ‘Unknown Gods’(not intended to be Xmas themed but there’s a mystic penguin in it so that surely counts?!)Picasso, 1953Jonah Kinigstein, from his 2015 book The Emperor’s New Clothes: The Tower of Babel in the “Art” WorldLeonora Carrington, title unknownVladimir Kush, title unknownVeks Van Hillik, title unknown

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NB: Dali Xmas cards from here. Kinigstein’s drawing is from here. Featured image is by James McCarthy (aka. Tolkyes @ deviantart)